On July 15 USA Congress passed the financial reform bill with the inclusion of a key provision on conflict minerals, an incredible victory for the thousands of activists who for months have been calling on their members of Congress to take decisive action to end the trade in Congo's conflict minerals.
The amendment will require companies to disclose whether they source conflict minerals from Congo or neighboring countries, and require companies to report on steps taken to exclude conflict sources from their supply chains, backed by independent audits. From the day President Obama signs the bill, the Securities and Exchange Commission will have nine months to develop regulations implementing the new law.
